The present invention relates to golf instruments, and more specifically to a method and a device to convert a golf club into a training system.
Golf is a popular sport. It is well-known that mastery of the sport depends, in a large part, on the ability to control the direction and distance a golf ball travels when subjected to an inelastic collision with a golf club. To that end, the gold club includes a substantially planar face that contacts a golf ball. Optimum control of the direction and distance of travel, referred to herein as trajectory, of the golf ball is obtained by causing the same to impact with the face of the golf club at the xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d. The difficulty with obtaining the skills necessary to achieve this goal frustrates the advancement in the sport of many golfers. As a result, many prior art devices have been developed to facilitate training golfers to obtain optimum control over the trajectory of a ball that is stricken with a golf club. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,228 to Hawkins, Sr. et al. discloses a system for improving ones golf game by using a practice club with a very small head to hit practice balls that are light weight and preferably are very small in diameter. The novel practice golf club has a head or ball-hitting surface which is much smaller than a conventional golf club, such as either surface having a width of about 3.5 cm (1.4 in.) or less or even about 1.5 cm (0.6 in.) or less or a convex surface having a radius of less than about 1.25 cm (0.5 in.) or even about 0.8 cm (0.3 in.) or less. The practice balls are much lighter and preferably smaller than a conventional golf ball, such as less than about 30 g, for example about 1.9 cm (0.75 in.) in diameter and about 1.5 g or about 1.27 cm (0.5 in.) in diameter and about 1 g. This invention includes as optional components of the system mat means and net means. The invention can be embodied in the form of an adaptor to convert a conventional golf club to have the type of ball-hitting surface described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,721 to Lobdell discloses a golf putter having an elongated head with an axle adapted for supporting a pair of coaxial rotatable wheels. The putter is rolled along the wheels in the direction of a sight line to strike and direct the golf ball. The strike surface of the putter is convex to assure proper relative position between the ball and the strike surface regardless of the angular position of the putter. The wheels have a resilient outer covering to protect the putting surface and to assure that the wheels grip the putting surface and roll rather than slide as the putter is advanced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,477 to Redkey et al. discloses a golf training device comprising a base member that is releasably attachable to substantially any conventional golf club. A plurality of training aids are interchangeably attachable to the base member, each of which serves to correct respective aspects of a golfer""s swing and stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,285 to Winslow discloses a putter alignment device and includes a mounting frame for engaging a putter and for aligning the device relative to the putter face. A mirror frame having a mirror, employing a novel indicating line, supported thereby is coupled pivotally to the mounting frame for aligning the putter relative to a target. A securing arrangement is adapted to engage the mounting frame at a portion thereof, extending behind the putter, and engaging another portion of the mounting frame to attach removably to the putter alignment device on the putter. Inventive sight members facilitate positioning of the eyes of the golfer relative to the target line as a part of the alignment method.
A need exists, therefore, for a device that attaches to a conventional golf club to improve a user""s performance playing the game of golf.
A device and method to facilitate use of a golf club, having a face, as a system to improve a user""s performance in the game of golf. The device includes a body having first and second opposed surfaces; and a clamping mechanism connected to the body to securely affix the body to the golf club, with the second surface being coextensive with the first surface and having an arcuate shape with a constant radius of curvature. In another embodiment, an indicator is present on the body and has a linear shape. The indicator extends transversely away from the face toward the second surface, bisecting the second surface. The indicator facilitates recognition of the situs on the second surface at which a user should impact a golf ball. The indicator may either be indicia or a groove formed on the body. The shape of the second surface may either be concave or convex. The clamping mechanism includes a support extending from the first surface away from the second surface and terminating in a bulwark. The bulwark extends from the support, parallel to the first surface and includes an orifice extending therethrough. In one embodiment, the orifice includes a wall having threads formed therein. A screw has threads complementary to the threads formed in the wall and reciprocates within the orifice to vary a distance between the screw and the first surface. In another embodiment, an orifice includes a smooth wall, with a rod disposed therein and is resiliently biased against the first surface.